Flag of Chile
'It is remembered by many as the day that democracy died in Chile.'

September 11th is remembered in Chile for more than the terrorist attacks in New York, as Martin Piper found out

The attacks in New York on September 11 were viewed by many as an attack against democracy that changed the course of history.

The memory stirs different emotions among people, many talk of where they were at the time of the attacks and speak passionately of their views on how it shaped events that followed.

No more so than in Chile. This year’s commemoration brought violence to the streets throughout the country, leaving a police officer dead in the capital Santiago and many more injured.

“The 11th September is a highly emotive time for Chileans, it represents the deep divide in our soul,” said Secretary General, Ricardo Lagos Weber.

Coup

In Chile, this is the date in 1973 when the nation witnessed a military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet overthrowing the democratically elected Salvador Allende. It is remembered by many as the day that democracy died in Chile.

This year Chileans commemorated the first “11” since Pinochet’s death in December 2006, leading to fears amongst authorities that there would be more violence than usual.

Both Allende and Pinochet were dogmatic men, each believing his world view and political cause to be the right one. Such extreme views with little room for compromise laid the foundations for one of Latin America’s most brutal dictatorships.

Allende was a Marxist, he nationalised Chilean industry, most notably its copper mines, still the most important export for South America’s strongest economy. His socialist rhetoric instilled great fear in the Nixon/Kissinger administration during a period of cold war politics.

After three years in office the economy struggled due to the withdrawal of foreign investment as the west aimed to weaken Allende’s hold on power. Right wing rallies gained momentum and Allende’s popularity began to wane.

Pinochet, with support from the navy, air force, police and his own army unleashed a brutal coup that overthrew the government within hours, resulting in the death of Salvador Allende, to this date claimed to be suicide. Thousands of his supporters were rounded up and put into the national stadium where they were tortured and many executed. Hundreds of thousands went into exile abroad.

Junta

From 1973 to 1989 Pinochet was military dictator of the country heading a fierce junta that prohibited nearly all political activity and ruled by repression, torture and murder. It is estimated that more than 3000 people “disappeared” during his rule.

Yet Chile is a country divided, Pinochet’s death at the close of 2006 opened up old wounds as his supporters and opponents filled the streets.

Supporters claim that the coup was necessary to stop Chile drifting towards a socialist economic model and closer alignment with the Soviets and Cuba. They believe that Allende himself wanted to create a Cuban style dictatorship that would have ruined the Chilean economy.

In contrast they believe that Pinochet’s economic policies made Chile the economic success story of South America.

Opponents of the regime believe that Pinochet only went on to create his own dictatorship, yet a more violent and repressive one.

Under his rule the divide between rich and poor grew and thousands had to flee from their homeland. They cite that Allende inherited a failing economy and that the first year of his government saw economic improvement in many sectors.

Pressure

They suggest it was only opposition from wealthy sectors and the USA that created enough diplomatic, economic and covert pressure on the government to precipitate its downfall.

Whatever the ideology many simply believe that torture and murder were an unacceptable road to economic prosperity and that the cure was worse than the disease.

Chile ’s current president Michelle Bachelet was herself tortured alongside her mother. Her father died in prison at the hands of Pinochet’s men.

This year on the 11th of September she joined some of Allende’s family at a memorial site within the presidential palace, La Moneda, where Allende died.

On the other side of town 100 people attended the first church service at Pinochet’s crypt where his ashes lie, they plan to open a museum in his name to commemorate the anniversary of his death.

The fact that a female leader of the centre left, who suffered under the Pinochet regime, is head of state, is proof that democracy is no longer dead in Chile.

It appears however, that the memories of September 11, in many countries, for many different reasons, will not die either.

Martin Piper is a former employee of Christian Aid who now lives and works in South America.

These are personal comments and not necessarily the position of Christian Aid or its partners.

• Read other On the Ground columns